Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-14
SULPHUR on VINES.
ITS USE FOR DESTROYING THE
PARASITE KNOWN AS OlDIuM,
.eport Of the Chief Executive VIII
aultural Officer Embodying Re-
suit of Experiments, etc.

John ii. Wheeler, has just published an
appendix to the report of the Board of State
Viticultural Commissioners, in which he
treats of the use of sulphur on vines as fol-
lows
oIDIUMS
The oidium (tlckeri) is a vegetable para
site of American origin. 1t attacks all
growing portions of the vine and imparts
to the leaves chapped appearance and
gives them whitish or gray color. The
vine when badly affected has blighted
and sickly appearance the Young leaves
and tender parts attacked become dried and
roll up, the herbsceous parts blackep.
cease to grow, and end by whitening and
drying up. This latter extreme is rarely
attained in California. The growing Der
ries are attacked as readily as other parts.
giving the whole languishing and I'M
healthy aspect The young branches also
present blotches of a powdered nature
which ultimately cover the greater part of
the surface exposed to the sun, and, where
badly, also taking on a whitish, DOW
dered and eventually chapped appearance
which causes them to crack open and
cease to grow. Thus it will be seen that
the oidium, unlike otherifungus, affects the
crop directly as well rs Indirectly through
damage to the foliage. The parasite first
appears abundant in June, though fire.
quently commencing its attack in Nav. at
or after the time OF Towering.
The conditions favoring the oidium are
moisture and warmth, the latter playing the
most important part. The moisture here
meant IS not the extremely humid condi-
ton OF the atmosphere which appears with
or Immediately follows a rain or heavy fog
condition often incorrectly named as
favorable to cldium' but merely the moist
ure to be found in sea breeze after it has
travelled ten, twenty or even thirty miles
inland. An atmosphere which produces a
light dew at night is sufficiently moist to
favor to the utmost the propagation of
oldIum. Quite different in this respect is
the Pa0nOSpora and Antlracnose which re-
Quire the deposition of heavy rain. fog or
excessive moisture to produce their growth.
For this reason, believe, California has
been comparatively free from the true
@lildiou, disease which of late years in
France, where summer rains are frequent
mas threatened the vineyards to as great an
extent as has the dreaded phylloxera.
Our principal vegetable parasite thus far
mas been the oidium, one especially ia
vored by our dry, warm climate, and one
easily destroyed by the timely application
Of sulphur.
As before remarked, excessive moisture
IS untavorable to the propagation of oidium,
anu SOOQ shower Will much TO remove
and destroy the germs.
As to temperature, the disease begins its
development where the average of dav and
night runs up to $50 F.; it spreads rapidly
at 7O0 F., and is checked in its growth
where the thermometer indicates near 1909
+. Above 1909 its damage is rapidly dlmin-
ished, and at 112o-a temperature quite
common throughout the interior vineyard
districts of California - the germs lose
their vitality and the effects of the disease
entirely cease.
To be sure, where vines make dense
growth and are trained high above the
ground, the germs may be so sheltered in
shady spots as 10 escape the effects of the
heat. Where, on the contrary the vines
are trained along or close to the ground,
and receive the reverberated in addition to
the direct heat of the sun, the manner in
which vines should be trained-then the
high temperature above named accom-
plishes complete determination of the
parasite, result which has often been
noted in AIgiers, where such temperatures
are frequent throughout the early growing
period of the vine.
Let il be borne in mind generally that
the propagation of the oidium and other
vegetable parasites of the vine are greatly
favored by trellises and high training
Short pruned vines and those trained close
X
gold diseases.
A hot north wind will sweep the oidium
from vineyard well exposed to its effects
This forms one of natures most common
remedies in California, and should be a
consolation 10 those who may otherwise
lose by it in the grain field.
Some varieties of vines are found more
susceptible to the attack of oidium than
others, other conditions being similar.
rot CHI rid inf fba
ist as to the frequency of applying the
remedy and the amount of sulphur en-
ployed.
Varieties particularly subject to the eff
fects of oidium are the Muscat, Chasselas,
Zinfandel, Folle Blanche, Crabb's Black
Burgundy, Tenturier, Gamay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet France, Riesling, Car
ignane, ferret and Cinsaut Among those
little susceptible are the Grenache, all of
the true Pinots, the Alicante Bouschet,
Petit Bouschet, Colombian, Sauvignon blanc
and the Aramon. The American grapes
FitiS LdbruScG, !. Ripdrid and Y Rupestris
are but little affected by oidium.
REMEDIES.
Many substances have been applied,
principally in the form of powders-lime
has been extensively employed, and it has
been found that any dust effects beneficial
results on the diseased plant None have
proved so efficacious, however, as sulphur
dust, and on this we can rest our perfect
reliance for, if properly applied, it affects
all that may be desired in the way of a
cure. and is comparatively inexpensive.
The oidium is a disease quite easy to treat,
because its spores and growth are confined
TO the exterior and exposed portion of the
plant, which is not the case with the Pc
roRosDerd riticoId and some other vegetable
parasites.
THE APPLICATION OF SULPHUR AS A REMEDY.
There have been many conflicting and
erroneous statements made concerning this
remedy, its application and effects as APP
piled in California. Imperfect and hastv
concentrations, drawn from limited local
experiences, have not unfrequently been
published and results both expensive and
wasteful have often followed. To correct the
wrong impressions thus formed and save
further dispute, it seems necessary to
treat the subject in q somewhat technical
manner the truth on some points of which
ii seems TO me precludes the possibility of
further dispute as to kinds which should
be employed; the difference in the effect of
various brands imported or domestic, and
the manner and time best for making the
treatment.
The VINEYARDS of California consume
annually 200 tons of sulphur, an average
of about 10 pounds of sulphur per acre.
None of this sulphur is the product of Cal
ifornia mines or deposits, as many sup
pose For three years previous to 1887
sulphur sublimers and grinders have been
entirely dependent on other countries
than the United States for their raw ma
terial.
l desire TO draw particular attention to
this difference for the instruction of those
who have with this, as with California wine,
in past wears been led to believe that any
goods bearing a French label are better
than those produced at home. The case is
parallel to that by which our wine-drink-
ers were long duped by French labels.
Some may claim that the sulphur ground
or sublimed in Europe is finer than that
prepared in California. To determine this
have examined carefully over twenty
samples of sulphur which have been col
lecting and carefully sampling for several
years past, with the following results: Do
mestic preparations of sublimed sulphur
have averaged as fine as those from Mar
settles or Belgium. OF the ground sulphur
that produced in California has generally
fin of oil